Sign receptacle



0d. 31, 1933. J, w BROOKS ET AL 1,932,572

SIGN RECEPTACLE Filed Dec. 16, 1931 Patented Oct. 31, 1933 SIGN 'REGEPTACLE John W. Brooks and Mark N. Russell, Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to Pass & Seymour, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 16, 1931 SerialNo. 581,440

'1 Claims. (01. na -342 This invention relates to sign receptacles" or lamp sockets of the type adapted to be mounted in rows behind a sign plate and wired in multiple at the back'of said plate.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved type of sign receptacle. g

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a sign receptacle in which the circuit terminals are so arranged and disposed that thereceptacle can be mounted in either one of two positions and still connected directly to a pair of parallel conductors.

Animportant feature of the invention resides in the positioning of the terminals on the rear of the receptacle so that the conductors may run parallel to the axis of the mounting lugs of the receptacle or transverse thereto and yet be directlyconnected to the terminals. 7

. Another important feature of the invention resides in recessing the terminals in the base and providing in the peripheral flange thereof four notches to accommodate a pair of conductors extending either parallel to the axis of the mounting lugs or at right angles thereto. I

Other and further features and objects of the invention .will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying drawing and following specification, wherein is disclosed a single exemplary embodiment of the invention with the understanding, however, that such changes and modifications may be made therein as fall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a sign receptacle constructed according to the present invention showing the wiring extending parallel to the axis of the mounting lugs;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the socket arranged with the axis of the mounting lugs at right angles to the direction of wiring; and I Figure 3' is an end elevation of the receptacle with a portion broken away to show the interior construction.

Electric signs are usually constructed from thin metal plates perforated for the passage of the insulating flange on the sign receptacles which are mounted at the rear of the plate. Each receptacle extending from the rear of the plate is susceptible to be wired in multiple with a great number of similar receptacles. A great part oi the receptacles are customarily arranged in rows.

the rear face of the Receptacles of certain types are-each provided with a pair of diametrically disposed mounting lugs extending from the ends thereof, arranged to about the rear of the sign plate and adapted to receive screws or other fastening means which 66 pass through holes or slots radiating from the main opening in the plate through which the flange on the receptacle passes.

In some cases it is desirable to mount a plurality of the receptacles with the axes of these 5 mounting lugs in alignment and in other cases, where a closer grouping of the receptacles is desired, they are mounted with the axes of the mountinglugs at right angles to the direction of the row of sockets. It has heretofore been the 70 practice to bring the circuit terminals out onto receptacle and position them sothat they are both in a line either parallel to or at right angles to the axis of the mounting lugs. tors to be strung along behind a row of receptacles and directly connected thereto as by having bared portions thereof secured to the terminals. However, with this positioning of the terminals it was only possible to mount the receptacles in one position in respect to the line of conductors and receptacles were made with the terminals arranged for use where the axes of mounting lugs were to be parallel to the line of the conductors and others were made with the terminals 35 arranged for use where the receptacles were mounted in'rows with their axes of mounting lugs at right angles to the conductors.

In accordance with the present invention, however, the terminals are so disposed that either position of mounting in respect to the conductors may be adopted and the conductors yet connected directly to the terminals. In this case the terminals may be said to be on diametrically opposite corners of the receptacle back or to lie on a line which is substantially at 45 to the axis of mounting lugs. 'This permits the manufacturer, jobber and user to carry but a single type of receptacle for the two purposes instead of the customary two types.

Referring now to the drawing, the sign receptacle is shown as comprising a-body 10 of insulating material, of irregular outline in elevation, and having a recess 11 in one face thereof to receive the customary screw shell contact 12 and 1 center contact 13. The opposite face 14 of the insulating body is recessed as at 15. Extending diametrically opposite from the ends 16 of the receptacle near the front face 17 are the mounting lugs 18, either provided with recesses for the This permitted a pair of parallel conduc- 75 reception of screws or, in accordance with the present construction, having the mounting devices 19 and 20 permanently secured therein. The line extending across the receptacle and through the centers of the mounting devices 19 and 20 is referred to as the axis of the mounting lugs.

The recess in the back face 15 is formed by a peripheral flange divided into the spaced parts 22, 23, 24 and 25 leaving the passages 26, 27, 28 and 29 extending down to the level of the bottom of the recess. These four passages are positioned in such a manner that a pair of parallel conductors, as shown at 30 in Figures 1 and 2, may pass through them either parallel to the axis of mounting lugs or at right angles thereto, as shown respectively in Figures 1 and 2.

Each of the lamp contacts within the receptacle is connected to a terminal member on the back face thereof. As seen in Figures 1 and 2 these connectionsare formed by the screws 32 and 33 which engage in the ends of straps 34 and 35 respectively which are offset into the smaller recess 36 below the main one in the back. This recess is filled with plastic insulating material, when the receptacle is completed, and only the terminal portions of the straps extend into view. They are each perforated and threaded to receive a terminal screw 37 and each is provided with a pair of lugs 38, 39 at right angles to each other, one extending parallel to the axis of mounting lugs and the other at right angles thereto whereby one is used when the receptacle is mounted as in Figure l and. the other when it is mounted as in Figure 2. With this construction the terminals are so positioned as to cooperate with wires running either parallel to or at right angles to the axis of mounting lugs and each terminal is provided with means for cooperation with wires extending in either direction. It will be understood that these lugs 38, 39 are turned up as clearly shown in Figure 3 so that the wire is securely looked under the mounting screw in the customary manner.

The spaces between sections of the flange around the rear face, when considered in pairs, form in eifect grooves through which the conductors pass to engage the terminals.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lampreceptacle of the type used in signs, in combination, an insulating body portion having lamp contacts, a recessed base on said body portion, a pair of circuit terminals on said base in the recess thereof, a peripheral wall about said recess having two channels therein for each terminal, the channels of a pair for a termial being at right angles to each other and each terminal extending into both of its channels.

2. In a sign receptacle, in comibnation, an insulating body portion, a' pair of diametrically opposed fastening lugs extending from said body, lamp contacts in said body, a base at the opposite end of the body from the contacts and a pair of circuit terminals on said base and connected respectively to the lamp terminals, said circuit terminals being diametrically opposed and in a line displaced 45 from the axis of said lugs so that they can each be engaged by one of a pair of conductors extending parallel to the lug axis or by one of a pair extending at right angles to the lug axis and guide means on said base for said conductors.

3. In a sign receptacle for use in multiple, in combination, a body part of insulation, diametrically opposed lugs mounted on said part for attaching the receptacle to a sign, a pair of circuit terminals on said part, said terminals being disposed in a line 45 displaced to the axis of said lugs so that they can each be connected to one wire of a pair extending parallel to the axis of said lugs or to one wireof a pair extending at right angles to the axis of said lugs and separate means on each terminal, one for cooperation with each wire arrangement.

4. In a sign receptacle, in combination, a body of insulating material having lamp contacts therein, a base at the opposite end of said body from said contacts, a pair of parallel channels therein, a second pair of parallel channels therein at right angles to the first pair, a circuit terminal for each lamp contact, one of said circuit terminals being located at the intersection of the axes of two of said channels and the other terminal being located at the intersection of the axes of the remaining two channels.

5. In a sign receptacle, in combination, a body part of insulation, diametrically opposed fastening means thereon, a base on said part, diametrically opposed circuit terminals on said base, a line through said terminals extending at an acute angle to a line through the said fastening means, each of said terminals having a pair of wire lugs thereon, thelugs of each pair being at right angles to each other.

5. In a sign receptacle, in combination, a body part of insulation, lamp terminals therein, a base at the opposite end of said body from said terminals and having a peripheral flange,dia metrically opposed fastening lugs on said body, said flange having four notches therein substantially equally spaced, opposed notches lying on a diameter at an acute angle to the lug axis, a circuit terminal for each lamp terminal, one of said terminals being arranged adjacent one of said notches and the other adjacent a diamet rically opposed notch. j I

7. In a sign receptacle, in combination, a body part of insulation, lamp terminals therein, a base atthe opposite end of said body from said terminals and having a peripheral flange, diametrically opposed fastening lugs on said body, said flange having four notches therein substantially equally spaced, opposed notches lying on a-diameter at an acute angle to the lug axis, a circuit terminal for each lamp terminal, one of said terminals being arranged adjacent one of said notches and the other adjacent a diametrically opposed notch, each terminal having a screw and two wire holding lugs, the lugs of each terminal being spaced substantially 45 from a line joining the terminals.

JOHN W. BROOKS. MARK N. RUSSELL. 

